What are You Doing on New Year's Eve?
by Ambyrhawke
Summary: A call Jane never made. A song Maura wasn't meant to hear. What happens when Maura receives a call that could change everything between herself and Jane...for good or for ill?
1. Chapter 1

Thanksgiving was over and done with two days ago. Boston Homicide Detective Jane Rizzoli let herself sleep in a little since it was a Saturday. However, now that she was awake, she decided to put her Christmas decorations up.

She may not keep her apartment as tidy as her best friend, Maura Isles, kept her own house, but Jane did like getting her Christmas decorations up as soon as Thanksgiving was over. If she didn't do it right away, then the murders and suicides that always seemed to increase around the holidays would start up. Then she'd be swamped with work and would never get the place decorated.

Not decorating only happened once. It was the worst Christmas Jane could remember, not because the holiday itself sucked. It just didn't feel like Christmas that year. Since she was a kid, Jane always enjoyed sitting in the living room with no lights lit except those on the tree. She'd listen to Christmas music or watch random Christmas movies. Sometimes she simply laid on the couch or the floor under the tree and gazed at it.

In the past few years, Jane even made a list in her head of people to send holiday cards to while basking in the glow of the tree. She never wrote the list down, because who was she kidding? Other than Maura, her ma, brothers, nephew, and grandparents, she wouldn't be sending out cards. And none of those cards had to be mailed since she'd see them all in person. No, something as Martha Stewart-y as sending out cards was Maura's style, not Jane's. It was bad enough having moments of wishing she was Holly Homemaker enough to send out cards to people she rarely saw without actually doing it. Thankfully, wistful thoughts like that were very few and far between. And she blamed Maura's example for every single one of them!

After a quick tidying up of her apartment, giving a bit more attention to the living room, the detective pulled out the boxes of Christmas decorations. She saw Jo Friday laying on her doggie bed, looking at her with a tilt to her head.

"What? I _do_ clean up, ya know! And not always at 2 am." Jo Friday tilted her head in the other direction. "Yes, I do! And stop doing that tilt thing. Maura taught you that, didn't she?" Jane groused.

She put some Christmas music on to get in the mood. Some were older standards with newer cds mixed in. The newest which she just bought a few weeks ago was from that woman in the last Disney movie. She had a great voice, and Jane really liked the song selection. She even managed to rehabilitate "All I Want for Christmas is You"; a minor miracle in the brunette's opinion since the original song suffered from a severe case of being overplayed on the radio at this time of year. She found herself singing along with this particular cd before Thanksgiving, even if she did feel like doing so gave Thanksgiving a shorter shrift than it already got.

By the time she put the tree and its lights up, Jane had sung with Perry Como, Dean Martin, and the Partridge Family. Jo barked when that last cd started. Jane just looked a her dog, "Yes, the Partridge Family. I was alive in the 70s. Be glad I'm not listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks because our ears would never forgive me."

The brunette took Jo out for a potty break and decided to eat lunch before breaking into the box of ornaments. _Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer_ played during lunch. Jane chuckled out loud, "I don't know if I'd die laughing or pull my hair out if I got called to that crime scene."

She addressed the dog, "Jo, can you imagine what Maura would say about the body?" Here Jane switched to a close approximation of Maura's voice and manner of speaking, "'Multiple blunt force trauma injuries to the head and body by different objects. However, each injury is consistent with the size and shape of a cloven reindeer hoof.' Of course she will know the scientific name for reindeer. But she wouldn't guess that it was specifically a reindeer as opposed to some other member of the deer family until she measured everything."

Resuming Maura's voice, Jane continued her autopsy report for the terrier, "'Parallel bruises matching those produced by sleigh runners with associated crushing injuries. Two large, booted footprints to the abdomen and chest.' Hmm, I wonder which of all those would be cause of death?"

Before the album had played halfway through, Jane made good progress on getting the ornaments up. The next album up was Idina Menzel's. When track five had almost finished, she decided to take a break. The next song really struck a chord with her, so she wanted to enjoy it. As soon as she laid down on the couch, Jo Friday jumped up onto Jane's stomach. Shifting into a more comfortable position, the brunette didn't notice her phone under her elbow or how it eventually fell to the floor.

* * *

Maura Isles woke up early Saturday morning. Wanting to get some shopping done in the morning, she chose not to indulge in the extra thirty minutes in bed she usually allowed herself on the weekend. She showered, dressed, and grabbed herself a light breakfast while planning out her shopping trip. She wanted to make sure her route did not utilize any major thoroughfares leading to malls or big box stores. Anything she needed to purchase from such places could be bought online. Let the Black Friday weekend shoppers get caught in the mall insanity. She preferred to spend her time actually shopping rather than looking for parking or fighting through crowds. No, her destinations were small boutiques and proprietorships in the downtown shopping district.

Maura wished Jane could have come shopping with her. Even though the brunette didn't share her enthusiasm for shopping and often complained about how much time the blonde spent mulling over items, considering factors such as quality, workmanship, aesthetics, value, and need versus want, she enjoyed having the companionship of her best friend. Jane always joked that Maura wanted her there just for her pack mule services, but she knew how to deal with a large load of packages on her own. How did the brunette think she went shopping in all the years before they had met? She was more than capable of spurring on the economy on her own, but the joking and teasing from Jane added good memories into her shopping days.

However, this time Maura didn't even ask her friend to spend the morning with her. The reason was simple; she wanted to look for a Christmas present for Jane while she was out.

Once she parked in the shopping district, the blonde worked her way up the street looking in promising shop windows to check out later. She had appointments at two boutique clothing shops first. As an Isles, Maura received numerous invitations to holiday galas and functions every year. While the Isles Foundation's Winter Gala was practically mandatory, she had yet to decide which other parties to attend. Normally, she bought dresses after she knew where she'd be wearing them. If she found more than one irresistible dress, she would work with it. If not, then one dress for sure and a list of possibilities to decide between later.

Three hours later, Maura had a dress, a list of three other possibilities, shoes picked out for each dress choice, and a nice yet tasteful silk nightgown and robe combination for Angela. The Rizzoli matriarch had commented on one of the blonde's recently, so she decided to surprise her with something similar. Maura chuckled to herself, "Jane would never let me buy silk lingerie for her mother. She still might kill me when Angela opens that box." There were some other items in the lingerie shop she had contemplated for a long while before shaking her head and moving on.

After lunch at a vegetarian bistro that she never would have been able to try had her friend been with her, Maura started down the other side of the street. After another two hours, Maura's Christmas list had only one name left to cross off. The perfect gift for Jane proved more elusive than she had hoped. As much as she wanted to keep looking, her feet ached from so many hours walking in high heels. Shopping tended to have that effect because, as wrong as it was, Maura knew that dressing the part for boutique shopping did improve service.

Retrieving her Prius, the blonde drove up the same street she just shopped along. Parking in a loading zone, she called a few numbers. A small army of workers exited the nearby shops and loaded her purchases into her car. She tipped each one with some money, a sincere thank you, and a gleaming smile complete with dimples. About half of the workers clearly considered the smile the best part of the tip. She repeated these actions at two other loading zones along the street.

Maura's feet thanked her when she arrived at home and put on some flats before unloading the car. It took several trips to get everything inside. Before she could start putting the bags in her room and office, her phone rang. A smile appeared on her face because it was Jane's ringtone.

Slipping her shoes off, she curled herself onto the couch and answered the call. "Hello, Jane," she said happily. There was no answer. "Jane?"

Maura looked at the display on the phone, but it confirmed that the call had indeed connected. She was about to say the brunette's name again when she heard music in the background. Instead she waited to see what might be going on. She recognized the song since she bought the cd a week ago.

Fifteen-seconds into the music, a pleased smile curled Maura's lips as Jane's rich voice sang out, "Maybe it's much too early in the game/Ahh, but I thought I'd ask you just the same/What are you doing New Year's/New Year's Eve?"

Only two other times had the blonde heard Jane sing seriously. She didn't often sing in front of others. When it did happen, it was always in a goofy manner. The two times Maura had caught her really singing, Jane had stopped as soon as she realized she had an audience.

The doctor settled into the corner of the couch to enjoy this treat, murmuring, "Her gluteus maximus must have dialed."

She closed her eyes to better concentrate when the second verse started. "Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight/When it's exactly twelve o-clock that night/Welcoming in the New Year/New Year's Eve."

Maura didn't even know what function she would be at on that night. She had several invitations, some of them from individuals asking her to be their date.

Jane's voice rose with the music into a plaintive wail, "Maura, Maybe I'm crazy to suppose/I'd ever be the one you chose/Out of the thousand invitations/You received. Oh, Maur…."

Maura's eyes shot open, and she almost pulled the phone away from her ear to look at it. She felt her heart rate speed up, knowing with certainty that her name was Jane's addition to the song.

The voice in her ear became soft again. She could hear a shrug of the shoulders in Jane's tone, "Ahh, but in case I stand one little chance/Here comes the jackpot question in romance/Maura, what are you doing New Year's/New Year's Eve? Ohhh, Maura."

_Jane must have called on purpose. This is just her way of playing a practical joke. _Maura thought. _Or her way of asking so she can pass it off as a joke?_

All her thoughts came to a screeching halt when the detective started talking during the instrumental portion.

Jane sighed, "What am I gonna do, Jo? God, I wish I could really ask her out for New Year's, or any day for that matter. I love her so much." She gave a sad, self-deprecating laugh, "But she only sees me as a best friend, so I guess I'm stuck. Aren't I, Jo?" She gave a resigned sigh, "Yeah, I'm stuck."

Hazel eyes darted back and forth, not really seeing anything. Her breathing had turned fast and shallow. Her heart felt like it was lodged in her throat, and her hands shook as she listened to Jane's confession and the implications that the words held. She had no idea Maura was hearing any of this. This whole song was the truth that she hid within herself, not a joke at all.

Maura's mind spun in circles, unable to gain traction as the world seemed to slip from beneath her feet.

"Maura, maybe I'm crazy to suppose/I'd ever be the one you chose/Out of the thousand invitations/You received. Ohhh…."

"But in case I stand one little chance/Here comes the jackpot question in romance/Maura, what are you doing on New Year's Eve?/Tell me what are you doing New Year's Eve?" Jane's voice died out as the final bit of instrumentation played.

Before the last note of the song played, Maura shook her head and quickly disconnected the call. She prayed that the screen on Jane's phone went dark before she saw evidence of what had happened. The very last thing she wanted at this particular moment was for Jane to realize Maura had heard everything from the past five minutes. She stared at her phone, unsuccessfully trying to will her heart to slow down. As the first tears slipped from her eyes, Maura dropped the phone in her lap. Wrapping her arms around herself, she bowed her head and cried.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you all for your kind reviews. Here's the next part.

* * *

When Jane finished singing "What are You Doing on New Year's Eve?", she sighed. Jo Friday leaned forward to lick her mama's cheek. Jane smiled, giving the little furball a light hug, "Thanks, Jo. You're the only one I can talk to about this stuff." She took a deep breath and ruffled Jo's fur. "Ok, girl, that's enough of a rest. I've got to finish this decorating before I poop out."

Jane motioned to Jo who jumped down and settled back onto her doggie bed. She just looked at the dog and shook her head. "Good girl, but really? Why don't you listen to me that well when there are witnesses?"

Standing up, Jane felt her foot kick against something. She looked around the floor for what she might have hit. Bending down, she swiped her hand under the edge of the couch but didn't feel anything. Maybe she imagined it. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to work.

Jane finished setting up all of the decorations a couple hours later. Once the boxes were put away, she looked longingly at the couch. Catching a whiff of something mildly unpleasant, the brunette lifted her arm slightly and sniffed. "Ugh! Yeah, shower first," she muttered pulling quickly away from her armpit. She glanced back at the couch saying in a resigned tone, "It's not you, baby; it's me. Trust me, it's better this way." Turning toward the bathroom, she chuckled at her own antics.

After her shower, Jane slipped on a pair of comfortable, faded, blue jeans with a hole at one knee and a navy "Property of Boston PD Athletics" t-shirt. Oh sure, getting right into flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top sounded inviting, however, Jo Friday still needed to be taken out a few more times today. Jane didn't feel like taking her out dressed up as a couch potato, even if she planned on being one the rest of the day.

As if hearing Jane's thoughts, Jo came running into the bedroom with her little tail wagging. She danced in place, looking up expectantly. "Okay, okay. Just let me get my shoes and coat on," Jane laughed.

Twenty minutes later, Jane laid down on the couch with a happy sigh. The Christmas music played softly on shuffle in the background as she took in the tree. Now it felt like Christmas!

Her relaxation was soon interrupted by the muffled sound of her phone. Confusion furrowed her brow as she glanced around, trying to find it. The ringing stopped when it went to voicemail and immediately started again. Normally, that annoyed her, but this time it helped her locate the device. She peered under the couch and grabbed the phone, "There you are!"

"Hello, Ma," she answered breathlessly, lying back down on the couch. She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I heard you call the first time." Jane shot up into a seated position, "No, I was _not_ fooling around! Why do you always gotta go there? What about me would make you even think to go there?"

An incredulous expression appeared on her face at her mother's answer. "You've got to be the only mother to hope her daughter was fooling around. Don't most moms hope for good girls?"

She knew as soon as she started the question that she should have kept her mouth shut. True to form, Angela went there. Jane threw her head back, glaring at the ceiling and shook a fist in frustration. She whined her answer, "I didn't answer because I was looking for the phone under the couch."

Jane rubbed her free hand across her forehead, trying to fend off a headache that suddenly threatened to take over. She sighed, "I don't know how it got under there. If I did, I would have picked it up when it first fell. Look, Ma, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, was there a reason why you called?"

She didn't expect her mother's request, "Pick up cannolis for tomorrow's dinner? Ma, there's parts of three pies left from Thanksgiving." Her heart dropped at the thought of her brother's wolfing down the rest of the pumpkin pie when she found out that they each took a pie home. "Oh, okay. I'll pick some up." Her voice became suspicious, "Wait. Are you cooking dinner tomorrow?"

She shook her head at the answer, "Why? Between the lasagna and all the other things we had on Thursday, there's got to be enough leftovers to feed an army. I know you didn't send it all home with Frankie and Tommy like you did with the pies."

Jane listened for a minute before laughing and interrupting the older woman, "Ma, Ma! No one gets sick of Thanksgiving leftovers by Sunday! They only happen once a year. Please at least see how much space is left in Maura's fridge before you think about cooking a big Sunday dinner." She shook her head, "Ya know what? No, just forget about cooking tomorrow. We'll polish off the leftovers. If you cook, it'll just pack Maura's fridge. You know how frantic she gets when she can't find her fair trade couscous and kale salad with baby purple carrots picked by Tibetan monks by the light of the new moon."

She smirked, "No, Ma, the new moon doesn't give off light. Ma, please just don't cook tomorrow. Maura will get worried about food going to waste. She'll start calculating how long it will take for different bacterias and molds to start growing on everything." She nodded her head, "Thank you! Yes, I'll get the cannolis! Bye, Ma." She grunted, "You, too."

When she hung up the phone, the brunette noticed a missed text message. She opened it and smiled because Maura had sent it.

**Hello, Jane. Are you there?**

Jane sent a reply.

**Sorry, I was in the shower when you texted. What's up?**

A minute later she got two replies in quick succession. The first made her laugh out loud.

**The ceiling.**

**Would it be all right if I came over?**

Smiling, Jane quickly answered.

**Ceiling. I taught you well. Of course you can come over. We can watch Christmas movies.**

Maura's next reply make Jane grin.

**It's still November, Jane.**

**Ahh, but it's after Thanksgiving! Makes it officially Christmas Season! We can order dinner.**

Jane imagined a worried expression drawing Maura's features together as she waited for the ME's next text. She wasn't disappointed.

**Jane, are you feeling unwell? You're sick of Thanksgiving leftovers already?**

The brunette flipped onto her side before composing her next text. She frowned at the thought of not having any turkey and stuffing tonight.

**I would LOVE leftovers tonight. SIGH. But I'm trying to keep Ma from cooking dinner tomorrow. You know she'll cook if she thinks there's not enough for 10 people!**

Some groans escaped Jane's throat as she stretched and then rubbed the back of her neck while waiting for a reply. This one took a few minutes to arrive, and the reason was apparent by what Maura had written.

**I just checked. There is more than enough food for us tonight and everyone tomorrow. I'll bring some over. I truly hope Angela doesn't insist on cooking tomorrow as there is not much space left to put things without overcrowding the shelves. I certainly can't eat everything myself before it goes bad. I would tell you which species of molds are likely to start growing, but I know you would rather I didn't.**

The brunette made a face at the idea of molds, but re-read the beginning. She smirked, "Ha! You love turkey leftovers, too, Maura. Can't deny it anymore!" Her fingers sent a different reply.

**That's what I told her. I convinced her for the moment, but you know that's subject to change. Hey, please tell me Ma left the pumpkin pie?**

She crossed her fingers while she waited.

**I'll bring it over. And some whipping cream.**

**YES!**

Jane did a little happy dance lying on the couch. She stopped when she got an idea and sent another message.

**Why don't you pack a bag and sleep here? Then we can watch more movies. Leave a note for Ma to not cook. She listens to you.**

Getting up, she went in her room and started stripping the sheets off the bed. Once bare, she looked at the phone and frowned at the lack of a reply. She tossed the sheets in the washer and grabbed a clean set to start making the bed. She checked her phone again when she got to the top sheet. Blanket in hand, she stopped upon hearing the chime of an incoming text.

**Okay. Give me an hour to pack everything up and get there.**

**K**

Long, dark curls swayed back and forth as Jane shook her head. Snorting, she muttered, "Only Maura needs an hour to pack up a change of clothes and leftovers and drive thirteen minutes to get here. What's so hard about it?"

Little did Jane know that, for Maura, this was the hardest overnight for which she'd ever had to prepare.


End file.
